Modern computer systems make extensive use of network computing and network data storage systems. Such use has proliferated in recent years, particularly in distributed or virtualized computer systems where multiple computer systems may share resources when performing operations and tasks associated with the computer systems. Such computer systems frequently utilize distributed data storage in multiple locations to store shared data items so that such data items may be made available to a plurality of consumers. The resources for network computing and network data storage are often provided by computing resource providers who leverage large-scale networks of computers, servers, and storage drives to enable customers to host and execute a variety of applications and web services. The usage of network computing and network data storage allows customers to efficiently and to adaptively satisfy their varying computing needs, whereby the computing and data storage resources that may be required by the customers are added or removed from a large pool provided by a computing resource provider as needed.
The proliferation of network computing and network data storage, as well as the attendant increase in the number of entities dependent on network computing and network data storage, have increased the importance of controlling access to data stored and manipulated thereon. As systems scale to meet demand, they tend to become more widely distributed, and controlling the distribution of data so as to prevent unwanted or unauthorized parties from accessing such data becomes more complex.